Device for locating and determining punctures in pneumatic tires.



'P'ATENTED JULY 21, 1908.

J. LBNDEYRYOU. G AND DETERMINING PUNCT PNEUMATIC TIRES. APPLIUATIQN FILED DBO. 20,1907.

[IRES IN DEVICE FOR LOOATIN 'rns ATENT FFICE.

JOHN LENDERYOU OF ROGERSTONE, MONMOUTH, ENGLAND.

DEVICE FOR LOCATING AND DETERMINING PUNCTURES IN ZPNEUMATIC TIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 190s.

Application filed. December 20, 1907. Serial No. 407,381.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN LENDERYOU, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Brookwood, Rogerstone, Monmouth, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Locating and Detecting Punctures in Pneumatic Tires; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide a device for readily detecting and locating punctures in pneumatic tires, and relates to the type of apparatus in which an air tube passes from air chamber, fitting the tire, into a glass chamber partly filled with water, the

i said tube being U shaped and coiled and the air from the tire passing from the same through the water in bubbles.

Now my said improved device consists of an aluminium or other light metal chamber open at the bottom, and the lower edges at the ends of which are suitably curved to fit the periphery of the tire. To the to i of this chamber is screwed a vertical air tu e fitted with an overflow or branch tube which extends downwards towithin a short distance of the bottom of a glass tube or chamber through which the air tube passes and which,

is fitted watertight to the upper and lower ,ends of the central vertical air tube by screwcaps or nuts, or otherwise.

In using the device the airtube with the glass tube or chamber is unscrewed from the metal chamber or base and partly filled with water, by turning it over and holding its lower end under the water which enters through the passages formed by the tubes fitted to the caps or nuts. The said tube or chamber is then turned up and again screwed to the chamber or base ready for use.

In order to locate the puncture the tire is blown up or inflated and the metal chamber or base is then passed along the tire, pressing "firmly thcreon, in the usual manner,- the i vessel to the water.

ment, instead of the said air vessel, I may employ a small ball valve adapted to close an outlet passage for the air from the glass water tube or chamber and to permit of the escape of such air so as to prevent the siphoning action.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings Figure 1 shows a vertical section of the device, and F ig. 2 is an elevation at right angles to Fig. 1 with the air chamber or base in section. Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the air vessel fitted to the air inlet tube, and Fig. 4 is a similar section-showing the ball valve fitted to the air outlet passage from the water chamber.

a is the chamber for receiving the air from the )uncture, the ends a of which are curved to fit the tire, and which chamber may be made of aluminium or other light material.

chamber and c is the overflow or branch tube leading therefrom to the lower )art of the water chamber. (1 is the glass tu e or water chamber inclosing the said tubes and fitted the tube bby the screw caps or nuts c, c.

with the chamber d is unscrewed from the chamber or base a and is turned over and placed in water so that the latter covers the open end of the tube 1). passes down the. tube 6 and through the tube 0 into the chamber'd, and when the latter is partly filled it is taken out of the water and screwed in position to the chamber a. tire is thenblown up or inflated and the chamber a placed upon the same and firmly ressed thereon to make an air tight joint.

he chamber is then asscd along the tire still pressing thereon 1n the usual manner, until it reaches the puncture, when the position of the latter is at once shown by the stream of air escaping from the chamber a -up the tube 1) and down the tube 0 into the water in the glass tube (1 wherein it rises in the form of bubbles visible to the operator.

In Fig. 3 the tube 1) is fitted with a. small nected, the air passing from the tube 1) through the sum] hole 9 into the vessel f,

In a modified arrange- The water thus,

air vessel or tank fto which the tube 0 is conb is the air tube screwed to the top of said watei tight to the upper and lower ends-of In order to locate a puncture the tube b The from whence it escapes by the tube 0 into the said main air tube, having its ends closed by 'on the to vessel f is dispensed with and the siphoning action is prevented by means of a small bal valve h fitted to the air outlet passage i cap e for screwing down n onthe ball and thus closing the outlet '5. hevair chamber a which may be made of vulcanite or other light material, and the tubes 6 and c are arrangedand operate in a similar manner to those shown in Jig. 1.,

In the forms shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the air collected in the outer tube d escapes therefrom by simply inverting the apparatus and permitting the water to displace the same, when the said air flows down the tube 0 and out of the tube 6. n

Of course I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of my structure, since itis evident that the same may be varied without degartingt'from the spirit of my invention.

laims. v J 1. In "an apparatus for detecting unctures in pneumatic tires, the combination of a'chaniber formed to fit the contour of the tire; a main air tube communicating with said chamber caps e secured to said tube at each end and provided with packingmaterial and flanges; a glass tube (1 surrounding said flanged caps, and adapted to contain water, and a turd tube 0 communicating with said main a1r tube at one end, and delivering air under the said Water at the other end, substantially as described.

2'. In an apparatus for detecting punctures in pneumatic tires, the combination of a chamber formed to fit the contour of the tire; a main air tube communicating with said chamber; caps a secured to said tube at each end and provided with packing material and flanges a glass tube d surrounding said main air tube, having its ends closed by said flanged caps, and adapted to contain water; a third tube 0 communicating with said main air tube at one end, and delivering air under the said water at the other end and means to initially prevent the water from running into the tire, substantially as described.

3. In air-apparatus for detecting puncturesiin pneumatic tires, the combination of a chamber formed to fit the contour of the tire; a main air tube communicating with said chamber; caps e secured to said tube, at each end and provided with packing material and flanges; 'a lass tube d surrounding sai I main air tube, having itsend's closed by said flanged caps, and adapted to contain water; a third tube 0 communicating with,

said main air tube at one" end, and delivering air under the said water at the other end, and means to initially prevent the Water from running into'the tire consisting of an air vessel f with which said tube communicates, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I a'l'lix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

' JOHN LENDERYOU. Witnesses EDWIN Jones, HENRY Monius. 

